The alarm sounds. It’s 2:30am. While most people are happily asleep amid the picturesque mountain resort of Les Deux Alpes, one man is about to creep out the front door of his family home.

Quietly mounting his bicycle, he gently pedals along the dark, deserted streets until reaching the local boulangerie. Another day in the life of extraordinary ultra-distance trail runner Yannick Noël is about to begin.

Fuelled by his favourite coffee, the 38-year-old spends the next several hours making sumptuous fresh bread and pastries for the day ahead. It’s hard, physical work, but that’s part of the attraction.

Shift over, Yannick enjoys a short nap before lacing up his running shoes. Situated at 1,650m above sea level, his home village offers quick access to high-altitude trails. The perfect playground for a true mountain man.

After collecting his little boy from school and spending an evening with his family, it’s soon bedtime. Just time to squeeze in five hours sleep before he does it all again.

“I believe sleep is key, I am used to very little sleep and, of course, during ultra-races this helps me,” says Yannick, a former footballer turned runner.

“I must be organised. I know when I wake up, go to bed, eat…. there is no space for the unexpected, this is why it works.

“My job is quite physical, so it allows me to keep being strong, but I also must be mentally strong to keep training (when feeling tired).

“Once my work is done, I put my running shoes on, and I get out. I stop thinking. It’s an escape. Sometimes there is a bit of stress after work, and I think running can help relieve that.

“This is a great playground for trail running. If offers big climbs and big descents, a large variety of terrain – rocks, hard ground, grass. It is the perfect combination.”

It’s a limited-sleep routine many would struggle with, but for Yannick it works. The proof is in both his happiness and his race results. Last year’s tenth place finish at the world’s biggest ultra-trail running race – starting and finishing in Chamonix and circumnavigating 176km around Mont Blanc – was arguably his biggest to date.

His time of 21:45:18 was almost two hours quicker than when he placed 12th in 2021. It begs the question… what could he achieve in the same race this year? We’ll soon find out.

A runner of incredible strength and experienced guile, Yannick has racked up many high-profile wins on French soil in recent years. He also raced in the UK for the first time in 2025, finishing fourth at the iconic Three Peaks Race. This despite not knowing the course or speaking the language.

Now widely regarded as one of Europe’s top ultra-trail runners, his desire to succeed and push limits remains as strong as ever.

“The race around Mont Blanc is the number one, the one everyone wants to succeed in,” says Yannick.

“There is a high level of competition, the route is epic with big climbs, long downhills and over rough terrain, so you must train hard. But I don’t fear it, as I prepare myself well for this race.

“I have always enjoyed being challenged, even in other sports, since I was young. I want to win, to compete, even if I lose or someone passes me. But I like the battle, when it is physically hard.

“I can live without victory, but I will do everything to win.”

• Our new short film titled Yannick Noël – L'Ultra Boulanger was shot earlier this year in Les Deux Alpes, France. Watch it above in this blog post.
• Following on from the Three Peaks Race in April, Yannick won the Volvic Volcanic Experience 112km and the Oisans Trail Tour 40km. Check out his results history.
• His favourite race footwear is the TRAILFLY ZERO. He uses the RACEPAC 8 and wears both the AIRLITE PRO SHORTS and AIRLITE PRO TEE.